Implementation of case-based learning in science education: A systematic review

Abstract

Case-Based Learning (CBL) in science education has developed rapidly. This paper reviews the literature on trends in implementing CBL in science education. For this systematic review, we followed the recommendation of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. Data were obtained from the ERIC, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases by taking scientific articles from reputable international journals with a Scopus Q1-Q4 index and impact factor ranging from 0.040 to 3.092, which is the main indicator of choosing quality of journal articles. Articles were searched using titles and keywords "Case-Based or Case Method or Science Education" from 2012 to 2022. The search yielded 1183 articles, and the selection results were 52 articles for review. The study found that CBL was represented mostly in three learning approaches, namely CBL-IBL, CBL-PBL, CBL-PjBL, and the rest being CBL-Blended, CBL-Oline, and CBL-Collaborative. Case-based applications in science education were dominated by health (58%), chemistry (35%), physics (1%) and biology (6%). The reviewed studies encountered some difficulties in implementing CBL. One of them is that solving the problem takes a long time. This review revealed case-based approach to be appropriate to be implemented in an active learning activity based on real-life context.